“The Wiz” was a good idea in 1974, and it’s still a good idea today: Retell “The Wizard of Oz” as a musical with a Black cast, singing tunes with R&B, disco, soul and gospel arrangements.
The North American tour of this brightly colored song-and-dance spectacle, directed by Schele Williams, has eased on down the road to Milwaukee’s Marcus Performing Arts Center for performances through March 29.
It’s a clever blend of human creativity and technology. The tornado winds, poppies and even the yellow brick road are represented by costumed ensemble dancers (the yellow brick road people are drum majors). But during the March 24 opening performance, the Marcus audience also saw some groovy, psychedelic projections and a futuristic Oz.
Just like in L. Frank Baum’s original novel (1900) and the famous movie adaptation (1939), a cyclone deposits young Dorothy (Phoenix Assata LaFreniere) in Oz, where she meets and befriends Scarecrow (Elijah Ahmad Lewis), Tinman (D. Jerome) and Lion (Cal Mitchell). They’re off to see The Wiz (Alan Mingo Jr.), hoping he’ll give them a brain, a heart, some courage and a way home for Dorothy. But wicked witch Evillene (Kyla Jade) has designs on that silver footwear Dorothy’s wearing (yes, silver like the novel, rather than the movie’s ruby red).
LaFreniere is a convincing Dorothy in her yearning ballads, character moments and dance moves. Lewis’ adorable Scarecrow has some early Eddie Murphy charm. There are some big voices here, too, include Jade, who could power most of Water Street with her roar in “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News.”
Jaquel Knight choreographed the nearly nonstop flow of dance, which ranges from balletic moves to the disco party in the Emerald City.
There’s no Toto in this version, which has led to a few changes in how the story unfolds. The way this version ends is even stronger than the 1939 movie in depicting the fabulous four as coming to understand they had what they were searching for all along.
If you go
“The Wiz” continues through March 29 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, 929 N. Water. Visit marcuscenter.org or call (414) 273-7206. The Marcus recommends this show for people 8 years and older.